


January 24th, 2021

by vulcanarmr



Series: January 24th [4]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Background Ships Not Mentioned in Tags, Dean Winchester Deserves to be Happy, Dean Winchester is Loved, Dean Winchester's Birthday, Domestic Castiel/Dean Winchester, Domestic Fluff, Established Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gen, Happy Castiel/Dean Winchester, Happy Ending, It's all fluff, M/M, Surprise Party, happy 42nd dean, idk how to tag this, like almost nothing, minimal angst, seriously, tagging is so much easier with angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-25
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:34:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 816
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28972905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vulcanarmr/pseuds/vulcanarmr
Summary: This one doesn't feel as bad as the rest. Dean feels okay on this 24th like he hasnt in a long time.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Series: January 24th [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2116353
Comments: 2
Kudos: 49





	January 24th, 2021

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO, i decided to try writing some fluff for dean's birthday, i love him so much aghhh. i know it's short but like i can't write a lot of fluff, i'm not very good at that ;-;
> 
> basically this works with both the january 24th series and how do i live with your ghost, because it happens in like the same universe as hdilwyg so dean's alive, and yeah <3 i hope you enjoy this :,)

**_day 236 ac._ **

**_169 days since castiel’s return._ **

**_dean._ **

  
  
  


The feeling of rocks in Dean’s stomach is present when he wakes up on his forty-second birthday. It was present last night as he tried to force himself to sleep as his body was flooded with nerves. It’s always present on this day every year. Each year, it steadily gets worse.

But this year is different.

This year, it’s not as bad. And this is the second year in a row that he’s celebrated. Not just like gone out to a diner or gone shooting or ignored it, but actually celebrated. Or will celebrate. Jody called last night, warning him about the surprise party the girls are planning since he’s not a huge fan of surprises. His first thought had been that no one should be doing anything like that for him. His second thought had been his birthday the year before. Cas’ words. Everything that’s happened since then. How he’s working on letting people do things for him sometimes. His third had been that he hopes Alex doesn’t do another goddamn vegan barbeque. Though honestly, he appreciates the sentiment if she does.

Gorgeous eyes, a sea of dark and bright and gentle shades of blue, stare at him as he opens his own. He smiles. Cas. He doesn’t know if he’ll ever get used to waking up next to him. He doesn’t know if he ever wants to. It’s like falling in love with him all over again. Dean’s never going to get used to that. And he’s never going to want to stop doing it. “Morning, angel…” he murmurs, blinking slowly. Cas hums, and the rough gentleness of the sound makes Dean want to melt into him and just stay here forever. Mornings with Cas always feel so perfectly ethereal.

“Good morning...Dean…” they say, and the sleep still clinging to the sound of their voice makes Dean smile further. “I’m not an angel anymore.”

Dean shrugs slightly, propping himself up on one elbow. “Sure you are. You’re my angel.” He grins. “In a completely, non-dick, endearing and perfect sorta way.”

Cas leans up and presses his lips ever so softly to Dean’s for just a moment. A moment that’s enough to send Dean’s heart into a mess of fluttering and jumping. “You’re so…” he starts, trailing off. Dean raises an eyebrow.

“Cute? Sexy? Annoying?”

Cas laughs slightly. “All of the above.” One of his hands cups Dean’s cheek. “Beautiful.”

Dean can’t speak. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t go speechless every time Cas calls him that. If he said he didn’t love it, despite still hating himself half the time. Despite never being able to see himself as anything remotely close to beautiful.

He kisses Cas again.

He almost aches with how much he loves them. And his heart flies at the reminder and one thousandth realization that they love him. Some of the rocks in his stomach melt away with the kiss. Even when Cas pulls away just long enough to say, “Happy birthday, Dean…”

They go to Sam and Eileen’s for breakfast. Jack stayed at their place last night, and they all seem excited to see Dean and Cas when they get there. Dean won’t admit it, but he’s almost excited himself. Some of the rocks in his stomach disappear into the eggs and bacon they eat.

When they get to Jody’s around dinner time, Dean pretends to be surprised when the lights come on and Jody and Donna and the girls and even Charlie and Stevie jump out from their hiding places. He almost is, honestly. The fact that anyone cares is still strange. But it’s nice. He’d be lying if he said it wasn’t nice.

“Hey, old man,” Claire says, an arm around Kaia’s shoulders. Dean rolls his eyes and smiles.

“I’m forty-two, dude,” he retorts.

Some of the rocks go out with the candles on the birthday cake, which is, in fact, fucking vegan. But it tastes great anyway.

Some of the rocks get torn apart and discarded with the wrapping paper and gift bags. Dean hasn’t had gifts in so long. Not really. Not since he was four.

Some of the rocks get sucked into the TV when they watch The Mandalorian, all stuffed into the living room. The rocks are almost imperceptible now.

Dean leans his head on Cas’ shoulder. He glances around at everyone. And he feels surrounded by love. His love for them. Their love for him. 

When they head home late that night, and he’s lying next to Cas in the dark, all he can feel is that love. All he can feel is relief and satisfaction and, he thinks, happiness. It’s fleeting, bound to disappear. It never lasts. But he feels it now. He feels it today. He thinks, knows he’ll feel it again.

He’s one year older, and he’s loved.

**Author's Note:**

> drop comments and kudos, they're appreciated!! have a wonderful day/night <3


End file.
